The field of the invention pertains to passive thermal storage and heat exchange wall systems for heating and cooling structures, in particular, structures having masonry block or precast concrete exterior walls.
Masonry block and precast concrete panels are common materials for the construction of exterior structural walls for buildings. With the increased attention being paid to both insulating walls and eliminating the leakage of heated and cooled air from a structure to minimize energy costs for buildings, the normal exchange of air in many structures is being reduced to a degree that may produced detrimental effects to the health of individuals living and working within such structures.
Forced air heat exchange systems are commonly used as a part of the heating and air conditioning systems. Such systems provide fresh air to the structure at the cost of power for the ventilation system and of substantially increased mechanical and electrical complexity. The increasing complexity of such air handling systems is resulting in an ever increasing percentage of building cost being attributable to the mechanical and electrical building systems. As a result more attention is being paid to passive heating and cooling means for structures. Such systems eliminate or greatly reduce the need for mechanical and electrical fans and controls relying instead upon the integration of the building with the surrounding environment to best take advantage of the heating and cooling available naturally. Perhaps the oldest examples of such structures are located in the Mid-East to take advantage of any movement of the desert winds to cool the structures.
More recently structures such as Trombe walls and water walls have been used. Movable insulation to prevent heat loss at night has been added to such installations, however, difficulties arise in attempting to adequately control the heat radiated to the interior of the building. Another passive thermal storage means comprises rock storage bins. Such bins, however, can not always be located to maximum advantage and use large amounts of valuable interior floor space or basement space.
A different approach has been the thermal siphon and air collector whereby interior air is heated to an exterior glazed chamber and passively circulated through the interior of the structure. Such an approach, however, provides no thermal storage beyond the structure interior floor, walls and furnishings and therefore can result in undesirable interior temperature fluctuations.
Applicant's improvements as disclosed below are directed toward overcoming the difficulties arising from the prior art approaches to passive heating and cooling of structures.